This invention relates to an improved guide stick for propelling a play hoop or wheel and more particularly to an adjustable guide stick which can be used by a right or a left handed individual and which further provides a unique braking action.
The prior art is replete with many patents which involve devices for rolling wheels or hoops along the ground. These devices provide great amusement for children and have found widespread uses. The wheel or hoop may simply constitute a rubber or metal rim while the rod or guide stick in the simplest case may just be an elongated piece of wood which is used to engage the outer periphery of the wheel to keep the same in a rolling mode. In regard to such structures the patent art depicts a number of patents which exactly pertain to such structures as can be ascertained from the prior art. These patents differ in the construction of the guide stick or in the construction of the hoop.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,984,937 entitled HOOP MEANS issued on May 23, 1961 to B. J. Rendon, depicts a hoop with a guide stick having a U shaped front end. The patent is typical of the type of devices described above.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,078,620 entitled HOOP ROLLING STICKS issued on Feb. 26, 1963 to C. L. Frye, Jr. et al., shows a hoop stick having a slot extending through the shaft to provide a seat for guiding the hoop.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,531,889 entitled TOY HOOP GUIDE AND PROPELLING DEVICE issued on Oct. 6, 1970 to B. T. Poole. This Patent shows a propelling device which has a U shaped member arranged at an acute angle with respect to the shaft and used to propel a hoop.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,619,942 entitled ROLLABLE TOY issued on Nov. 16, 1971 to R. De Lara, shows a guide stick which is used to roll and support the hoop under control of a user. The apparatus includes an annular track on the inside of the ring with a ball which rides or rolls in the track as the hoop is being propelled.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,173,841 entitled TOY HOOP GUIDING ROD issued on Nov. 13, 1979 to R. K. Hensley and shows a guide rod for a hoop having a U shaped front section which can be disposed in either a right or a left hand orientation to enable a right or a left handed individual to control a hoop. Other patents as U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,749 depict different structures for forming a hoop in order to reduce noise or to create noise, as well as, to provide different visual effects as the hoop is being propelled.
In regard to the above noted patents and other prior art, there is a great number of devices which provide guide rods with various adjustments to provide various operations. Many of these devices are complicated and difficult to manufacture while other devices do not accomodate the needs of children of various sizes. The above noted devices do not provide any means for stopping and capturing a hoop once it is being rolled or for braking such a hoop during operation. It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide an improved guide stick for use with a hoop or wheel which guide stick is adjustable in length to accomodate children of various sizes and is further capable of being used, without adjustment, by a right or a left handed individual. The guide stick to be described has a built in brake accomodating means to enable a user to stop or slow a wheel during a rolling operation.